Gun sight



gmw WW 33-257. UR 3 161 960 SR Dec. 22, 1964 .1. A. BADALI 3,161,960

GUN SIGHT Filed Jan. 30, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l f INVENTOR. I JOSEPH A.BADALI 3 FIG-2 Dec. 22, 1964 J. A. BADALI 3,

GUN SIGHT Filed Jail. 50, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH A. BADALI ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,161,960 GUN SIGHTJoseph A. Badali, Branford, Conn, assignor to Olin Mathiesou ChemicalCorporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Tan. 39, 1962, Ser. No.169,748 9 Claims. (El. 3355) This invention relates to sights forfirearms, and particularly to an improved small arms rear sightadjustable both vertically and horizontally.

To account for the factors of windage and range, an adjustment in theline of sight must be made; but in small arms gun sights of anadjustable character have heretofore been of a rather delicate andcomplex construction because of the limitation of small size preferredand precision required. Such sights frequently have been not only anawkwardly appended most easily damaged part of the gun, but also arather expensively made part of the gun.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide acompact and easily adjustable sight of study as well as sleekconstruction. Another object is to economically provide a light, butdurable plastic gun sight of improved reliability and accuracy for truesighting. A still further object is to provide a resilient sight withboth audible and visible detection of elevation adjustment. Anotherobject is to provide elevation adjustment in a multiplicity of precisesteps as quickly, reliably, and simply as possible without the need fora great number of delicate components. Another object is to provide aneasily secured separate sight assembly the parts of which are detachablysecured in the gun in association with the barrel and forearm structureof the gun at its barrel. A further object is the provision of gunsightlargely of resinous plastic parts including a resilient sight support ofreliably constant snap-back character for holding the parts infunctional position and capable of being pulled out of functionalengagement without impairing the support.

Other objects and advantages will be evident from a description of aspecific embodiment of the invention when taken together with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial plan view of a gun showing the preferredembodiment of rear sight according to this in vention mounted on aportion of the firearm barrel and with the sight leaf swung aside forbetter illustrating the parts and relative movement of the parts foradjustment;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the sight of FIGURE 1 shownpartly in cross section taken on a longitudinal center line anddisassembled from the adjacent gun structure, a part of which is alsoshown;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view taken on the offset section line III-IIIof FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the ele vator element;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a leaf spring employed in theembodiment described;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse fragmentary view on line VIVI; and

FIGURE 7 is a rear view of line VIIVII showing only the sight leaf andspring.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a gun sightarrangement characterized by a flexible sight leaf mounted on a base incantilever from one end for coaction with a wedge member movably securedbetween said base and leaf to change the elevation of said sight.Specifically, a rear sight is provided formed largely of strong impactresistant plastic resin, preferably polyacetal, having desiredflexibility in the leaf but including a metal leaf spring for impartingreliable and durable spring characteristics to avoid the relaxation andundesirable change that occurs with ageing and/ or over-strain of mostplastics. A stepped wedge member is contemplated with a plurality of camplatforms for cooperation with a follower on the leaf to obtain desiredstep-by-step elevation adjustment with not only manual sensing but alsoaudible clicking and visible indicia for detection and control of theadjustment. By providing ridges with sloped sides between the platformscontinuous changes of elevation at least in the direction of increasingthe direction is obtained together with a quick change back to closerange as the follower drop from the highest platform to the lowest torepeat the cycle in that direction. Change in the reverse direction isobtainable quickly over most of the cycle since this is in the directionof reduced spring bias and not against bias; by sloping between theextreme terminal cam surfaces a more nearby sudden return may also beobtained in the reverse direction of change from near to far range butusually this latter refinement is not needed.

The Wedge member takes the form of an elevator wheel mountedcenterlessly by peripheral constraint.

In this wheel, the platforms and ridges are disposed in alternation in acontinuous peripheral arrangement occupying substantially all of theupper annular surface of the wheel, which makes not only for quickchanges over the whole area of adjustment but also eliminates any wastedmotion, such as would occur if only a portion of the surface werestepped. This arrangement also serves to lock the wheel at each selectedadjustment against being accidentally rotated. Also, the arrangementallows for windage adjustment at each platform without change inelevation.

The parts are designed for quick assembly and disassembly to facilitatecleaning. The arrangement is notable for its simplicity of fasteningrequiring only a single screw fastener and a manually detachable bayonetconnection. The elevation adjusting member is a floating pieceintervening the base and leaf between which it is clamped ro tatably inthe form of a stepped wedge.

In addition, there is provided means for moving one end of the leaftransversely with respect to the base for windage adjustment withoutadversely affecting the elevation' The device preferably takes the formshown in the drawing.

The sight of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 1 mounted at thebreech on a weapon of the slide action type, for example, including abarrel receiver 1, a barrel 2 mounted on the receiver and locked theretoby means of a barrel collar 3. The reciprocating, cocking, loading andejection action is actuated by the forestock 5 part of Which is shownattached to the underside of the barrel 2, the breech end of which isspaced from the sides of i the hollowed out rear end of the forestock byleaving the cavity between barrel and forestock open at the top as shownin FIGURE 6.

Mounted by threaded fastener 6 at the longitudinally elongated andcountersunk mounting screw hole 7 on the barrel so as to cover thecavity is the saddle-shaped plastic base 10 having down the middle ofits back, a thickened sight back or dorsal hump 11 located opposite thecentrally located mounting groove 12 running from end to end on theunderside of the base, having an arcuate transverse shape complementaryto this part of the topside of the barrel at the breech where the baseis mounted and held secure by fastener 6 extending through theadjustably elongated opening 7 so that the end of fastener 6 may engagewith the threaded recess 4 in the barrel. The rear end of the mountinggroove is enlarged at 13 to fit over collar 3. At the rear, hump 11 isenlarged to form a sight ramp 19 having a mat finish top surface and anindicator cut 20. Depending from the rear end of the base are slideforearm guides 14 and 15 which help center the sides of the forearm 5and keep these sides from rubbing the receiver when forearmreciprocation occurs. In other types of firearms, these guides may beomitted.

At the front end, sight back 11 is provided with a key slotted opening17 for detachably mounting the plastic sight leaf 21 at the leafmounting lug or post 31 having a mounting lip 32 for locking the leaf 21on the base with a bayonet type connection at 17 when the leaf is linedup longitudinally with the upward protruding back 11 in overlyingrelation. By swinging the other end of leaf 21 to one side or the other,after lifting it, the operator exposes the elevator receiving well 16and may detach the leaf entirely from the base for easy inspection andcleaning. Mounted between sight back if and leaf 21 is a metal leafspring 22 of open construction (FIG- URE 5) for imparting a reliablypermanent set or bias to the free end of the resilient leaf. Formounting on the post 31 of the leaf, the spring has a mounting orifice27 formed at one end as an enlarged continuation of the spring slot 26through which the mounting lip 32 of the post will clear. At theopposite end the spring has a spring notch 23 formed between tworearwardly extending spring fingers 24 and 2S. Notch 23 receives thesight and follower vane 35 extending from the rear end of leaf 21; forthis purpose vane 35 has an enlargement 3'7 on each side spaced from andforming with the leaf 21 side grooves for reception of the fingers.Spring 22 has a curvature such that when its rear end is locked to therear end of the laef, spring fingers 24 and 2S bearing on theenlargements 37 impart a downward bias as the front end of the spring atorifice 27 is locked between leaf 2i and back 11 of the base 10.

The rear end of leaf 21 has a rear sight notch 34 and the vane 35 therear end extension of which is colored for ready discernment to providea sight indicator 36, of white for example against the black backgroundof the other sight parts. The bottom of the vane extends downward toform the follower 38 biased by the spring against the cam surface ofelevator wheel 50.

Sight elevator 50 is mounted in well 16 in constraint permittingrotation of the wheel the sides of which extend from the open sides ofthe Well forming lateral interruptions in the longitudinally extendingdorsal hump 11. Here manual torque is applied to the exposed peripheryof wheel 50 which may be knurled for this purpose, although ridges 53assist in receiving torque generating force. The wheel is furtherconstrained detachably in the well by the leaf 21 acting throughfollower 38 under bias of the spring. Enlargements 37 align with opening51.

The fiat-bottomed wheel is formed about a central opening 51 (FIGURE 4)and has an upper surface forming a step-by-step Wedge cam surface. Thisis made up of elevator platforms 52 forming steps of a gradual rise,adjacent rises being separated by a ridge 53 having sloped sides. Thus,the follower 38 is retained against accidental change on a platform bythe ridges 53, but the sloped sides 56 and 57 enable the follower toride up to the top of either ridge as the wheel Ell is manually given atorque to adjust the elevation, change of which is accompanied by adistinct click as the follower falls from the top of a ridge to the nextplatform. In addition, to this audible indication of elevation changethere are provided indicia characters 58 on the platforms as shown fordetection of elevation at the index mark 40 formed on one side of thetopside of the saddle-shaped base 10.

Between the highest ridge and the lowest platform the elevator memberhas a stop or shoulder 54 indicative of the extremity of the elevationadjusting cycle. This stop prevents continuous turning in the reversedirection; reproportioning of the cam surface may be made to allow for aslope at shoulder 54 where an uninterrupted reversal is desired in thecycle.

Windage adjustment is provided by turning windage screw 44- mounted topass through the hump 11 at the ramp 19. This screw is formed with acircumferential screw notch 45 for mating reception of engagement withthe sight vane extension 35. Screw notch 45 is exposed in the windagenotch 18 formed in the plastic base 10 to communicate with the well atthe rear side of the well 16. During windage adjustment the selectedelevation is maintained because wheel 50 is freely rotatable withinlimits defined by the relatively widely spaced ridges 53 and becauseeach platform is sufficiently extensive to be wider in thecircumferential direction than the follower 38.

The sight is easily cleaned because its parts may be readily dismantledand reassembled without tedious effort.

The colored indicator 36 is visibly aligned through indicator notch 20with sight 34.

The gun sight requires no treatment to avoid rust and corrosion, andbeing largely of a plastic resin of compact recessed construction, it isresistant to fracture, or misalignment from impact. Being of heatresistant high strength plastic it is not susceptible to contraction andoverheating and inaccuracy from that cause.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the gunsight of this inventionis of improved durability, and may be readily applied to smallarms ofvarious types such as those of the slide action type. The lever actiontype and even the semi-automatic type, for example, withoutnecessitating major changes in the other parts of the gun. No changeneed be made in the construction of the gun other than the provision ofa fastening arrangement such as a mounting screw. Interference with thepresent operation of the gun is avoided; rather it is improved both asto sighting and protective coverage at the breech end of the barrel.

While the embodiment described is now believed to be that preferred, itwill be understood that those skilled in the art may make variouschanges and modifications Without departing from the spirit and scope ofthis invention as set forth in appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A gun sight comprising a barrel-mounted sight base, a flexiblesight-supporting leaf mounted at one end on said base for both annularand flexing movement of the opposite end of said leaf with respect tosaid base, said opposite end carrying the sight, an annular elevationadjustment member carrying a cam surface extending in graduated stepssubstantially all around one side of said member, said opposite end ofsaid leaf also carrying a cam follower, said base and opposite end ofthe leaf having mating means engageable with each other for holding saidleaf in a predetermined operable position transversely with respect tosaid base and cam surface, a leaf spring mounted between said base andleaf, said spring having a curvature adapted to bias said opposite endof the leaf so as to urge said follower to rest against said cam surfacefor raising and lowering said opposite end and urge said mating meansinto engagement, said base having mounting means slidably receiving saidleaf at said one end so that said opposite end of the leaf may be notonly turned aside within limits set by said mating means but also flexedupwardly and moved aside for disengaging said mating means and also saidslidable mounted means from said one end to permit replaceabledisplacement of said adjustment member, spring and leaf from said base,said adjustment member being mounted centerlessly and extendingoutwardly between said base and said opposite end of the leaf under saidbias for manual rotation of said member, and controllable means forcarrying and shifting the mating means on said base transversely therebyproviding windage adjustment.

2. In combination with a firearm including a barrel, a gun sightcomprising a barrel-mounted sight base, fastening means for securingsaid base to said barrel, a flexible sight-supporting leaf mounted atone end on said base for both annular and flexing movement of theopposite end of said leaf with respect to said base, said opposite endcarrying the sight, an elevation adjustment wheel carrying a cam surfaceextending in graduated and recessed steps substantially all around oneside of said wheel from a minimum to a maximum elevation adjacent saidminimum, said opposite end of said leaf also carrying a cam follower,said base and opposite end of the leaf having mating means engageablewith each other for holding said leaf in a predetermined operableposition transversely with respect to said base and cam surface, a leafspring mounted between said base and leaf, said spring having acurvature adapted to bias said opposite end of the leaf so as to urgesaid follower against said cam surface for raising and lowering saidopposite end and urge said mating means into engagement, said basehaving bayonet mounting means slidably receiving said leaf at said oneend so that said opposite end of the leaf may be not only turned asidewithin limits set by said mating means but also flexed upwardly andturned aside for thereby disengaging said mating means and also saidbayonet mounting means from said one end to permit replaceabledisplacement of said wheel, spring and leaf from said base, saidadjustment Wheel being mounted centerlessly and extending outwardlybetween said base and said opposite end of the leaf under said bias formanual rotation of said wheel, and controllable means for carrying andshifting the mating means on said base transversely thereby providingwindage adjustment.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the base, the sight leaf andadjustment member are made of molded plastic such as polyacetal resinand the like while the spring is formed of sheet metal sandwichedsubstantially out of sight between said base and leaf.

4. In combination with a firearm including a barrel, fastening means forsecuring said base to said barrel, a gun sight comprising abarrel-mounted plastic base, a flexible plastic sight-supporting leafmounted at one end on said base for both annular and flexing movement ofthe opposite end of said leaf with respect to said base, said oppositeend carrying the sight, an elevation adjustment wheel formed of plasticcarrying a cam surface, said opposite end of said leaf also carrying acam follower, said base and opposite end of the leaf having mating meansengageable with each other for holding said leaf in a predeterminedoperable position transversely with respect to said base and camsurface, a metal leaf spring mounted between said base and leaf, saidspring having a curvature adapted to bias said opposite end of the leafso as to urge said follower against said cam surface for raising andlowering said opposite end and urge said mating means into engagement,said base having bayonet mounting means slidably receiving said leaf atsaid one end so that said opposite end of the leaf may be not onlyturned aside within limits set by said mating means but also flexedupwardly and turned aside for thereby disengaging said mating means andalso said bayonet mounting means from said one end to permit replaceabledisplacement of said wheel, spring and leaf from said base, saidadjustment wheel being mounted centerlessly and extending on both sideslaterally outwardly between said base and said opposite end of the leafunder said bias for manual rotation of said wheel, and controllablemeans for carrying and shifting the mating means on said basetransversely thereby providing windage adjustment, said surfaceextending in circumferentially graduated steps including recessedplatforms in alternation with upwardly extending ridges between adjacentplatforms substantially all around the top side of said wheel from aminimum to a maximum elevation adjacent said minimum, some of saidplatforms having indicia marks, said wheel being freely rotatable ineither direction for adjustment in discrete audibly, manually sensiblyand visually discernible increments including a most readily discernibleadjustment between said minimum and maximum elevation.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the adjustment member is a ringand the cam surface consists of circumferentially gradually stepped andrecessed platforms each formed on the topside of the ring and eachspaced from adjacent platforms by an upwardly extending ridge havingsloped sides, at least every other platform having associated therewithan indicia character visible between the base and leaf with reference toan index mark on said base, said ring being continuously rotatable in atleast one direction in discrete increments for rapid adjustment inaudibly, manually sensibly, and visually discernible incrementsincluding a most readily discernible adjustment between the most remoteand nearest ranges.

6. In combination with a firearm having a barrel and a forestock with abarrel-receiving recess including a top opening on each side adjacentthe topside of the breech of said barrel, a gun sight assemblyconsisting of a barrel-mounted sight base formed of molded material withan arcuate central groove to conformably overlie said topside and eachopening and with a longitudinally extending dorsal hump, a flexiblesight-supporting leaf formed of molded plastic material and having a lugfor mounting at one end of said leaf on said base for limited movementof the opposite end of said leaf both sidewise and toward and away fromsaid base, said opposite end carrying the sight, said hump having acentral mounting means for said lug, an elevation adjustment wheelformed of said material to be conformably carried in a laterallyinterrupted circular well in said hump for rotation manually effectedthrough the lateral interruptions at the lateral projections of saidwheel, said wheel carrying an upper wedge cam surface subdivided intodiscrete platforms recessed between upraised dividing ridges, said leafin its operative position overlying said hump and Wheel in substantiallycentered relation, said opposite end of said leaf also carrying adepending cam follower extending into said well in said position toengage a given platform to provide step'by-step adjustment, said baseand opposite end having mating means engageable with each other forlocking said leaf in a predetermined position transversely with respectto said base and cam surface, and a metal leaf spring carried strung onsaid lug in clamped relation thereat between said base and leaf, saidspring having a connection to said opposite end and a curvature betweensaid lug and connection adapted to bias said follower between saidridges to said surface to hold said adjustment and provide an audibleindication of adjustment and to bias said mating means into engagement,said mounting means and lug adapting said leaf for movement between saidoperative position and an inoperative position to permit displacement ofsaid leaf from said base by upward flexing and turning aside of saidopposite end thereby disengaging said mating means, said wheel beingsecured rotatably in said well between said follower and base under saidbias.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the base includes a mat finishedsight ramp back of the sight, and wherein the leaf carries aligned withsaid sight and ramp an indicator mounted on the rear of the leaf andcolored to contrast with said ramp to be readily visible.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein the base is provided upon theunderface thereof with laterally spaced depending projections adapted toslidably engage the interior of the forestock recess for centering andguiding said forestock.

9. The combination of claim 6 including a transversely extending windageadjustment member for moving the mating means and sight laterallywithout effecting said elevation by simultaneously allowing movement ofsaid 7 Wheel by said follower engaged with the same given platform.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,791 1/13Warner 3358 1,160,374 11/15 Buchanan 3358 Paulson 33-58 Redfield 3350Brown- 3358 Shy 33-47 Sunderland 33-56 ISAAC LISANN, Primary Exmniner.

1. A GUN SIGHT COMPRISING A BARREL-MOUNTED SIGHT BASE, A FLEXIBLESIGHT-SUPPORTING LEAF MOUNTED AT ONE END ON SAID BASE FOR BOTH ANNULARAND FLEXING MOVEMENT OF THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID LEAF WITH RESPECT TOSAID BASE, SAID OPPOSITE END CARRYING THE SIGHT, AN ANNULAR ELEVATIONADJUSTMENT MEMBER CARRYING A CAM SURFACE EXTENDING IN GRADUATED STEPSSUBSTANTIALLY ALL AROUND ONE SIDE OF SAID MEMBER, SAID OPPOSITE END OFSAID LEAF ALSO CARRYING A CAM FOLLOWER, SAID BASE AND OPPOSITE END OFTHE LEAF HAVING MATING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH EACH OTHER FOR HOLDING SAIDLEAF IN A PREDETERMINED OPERABLE POSITION TRANSVERSELY WITH RESPECT TOSAID BASE AND CAM SURFACE, A LEAF SPRING MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID BASE ANDLEAF, SAID SPRING HAVING A CURVATURE ADAPTED TO BIAS SAID OPPOSITE ENDOF THE LEAF SO AS TO URGE SAID FOLLOWER TO REST AGAINST SAID CAM SURFACEFOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID OPPOSITE END AND URGE SAID MATING MEANSINTO ENGAGEMENT, SAID BASE HAVING MOUNTING MEANS SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAIDLEAF AT SAID ONE END SO THAT SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE LEAF MAY BE NOTONLY TURNED ASIDE WITHIN LIMITS SET BY SAID MATING MEANS BUT ALSO FLEXEDUPWARDLY AND MOVED ASIDE FOR DISENGAGING SAID MATING MEANS AND ALSO SAIDSLIDABLE MOUNTED MEANS FROM SAID ONE END TO PERMIT REPLACEABLEDISPLACEMENT OF SAID ADJUSTMENT MEMBER, SPRING AND LEAF FROM SAID BASE,SAID ADJUSTMENT MEMBER BEING MOUNTED CENTERLESSLY AND EXTENDINGOUTWARDLY BETWEEN SAID BASE AND SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE LEAF UNDER SAIDBIAS FORMANUAL ROTATION OF SAID MEMBER, AND CONTROLLABLE MEANS FORCARRYING AND SHIFTING THE MATING MEANS ON SAID BASE TRANSVERSELY THEREBYPROVIDING WINDAGE ADJUSTMENT.